Ski and Ski Pole Carrier Device

ABSTRACT

A device for carrying skis and poles includes a main strap and two auxiliary straps which are joined, respectively, to opposite ends of the main strap and which extend at right angles therefrom. The auxiliary straps are arranged for wrapping around the skis for fastening them together. Each auxiliary strap has at least one portion which is joined to the main strap along an inclined line, so that, when not in use, it may be folded to lie flat against the main strap and extend lengthwise thereof, to form an elongate, substantially flat assembly, which is compact and easy to slip into a pocket for storage.

The present invention relates to a carrier device, particularly but not solely for skis and ski poles.

A number of carrier devices have been proposed or marketed hitherto, which serve to bundle together a pair of skis, and optionally a pair of ski poles, and to facilitate the carrying of the bundle thus formed. These prior art devices have suffered from a variety of drawbacks or limitations for example some have buckles which makes them difficult to fasten around or undo from around the skis and ski poles, especially when wearing gloves; some are too large or do not fold compactly, once unfastened from around the skis, to put comfortably and safely into a pocket of the user when skiing.

We have now devised a carrier device which is easy to fasten around or undo from a pair of skis, and which the user can fold easily and compactly for convenient and safe storage in a pocket whilst skiing.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a carrier device which comprises a main strap and two auxiliary straps which are joined, respectively, to the opposite ends of the main strap to extend at right angles therefrom, the auxiliary straps being arranged for wrapping around a pair of skis or around other elongate articles to fasten the skis or other articles together, each auxiliary strap having at least one portion which is joined to the main strap along an inclined line such that it may be folded to lie against the main strap and extend lengthwise thereof.

In this arrangement, the auxiliary straps may be folded flat against the main strap and extending along it, to form an elongate, generally flat assembly which is compact and easy to slip into a pocket for storage. This assembly itself may be arranged to be folded about one or more transverse lines, to bring it into a more compact form: for this purpose, the main strap may be formed with one or more transverse fold lines, spaced apart along its length. Further, the main strap may be provided with fastening means, preferably hook-and-pile fasteners, arranged to secure the assembly in folded condition.

Preferably each of the auxiliary straps is provided with fastening means, preferably hook-and-pile fasteners, for securing these straps around the skis or other articles being bundled together. Preferably each auxiliary strap is joined to the main strap such that a minor portion of the auxiliary strap projects from one longitudinal edge of the main strap and a major portion of the auxiliary strap projects from the opposite edge of the main strap. Preferably each such portion is joined to the main strap along an inclined line permitting it to be folded over to lie against the main strap and extend longitudinally of it. The or each such portion of the auxiliary strap may be so joined to the main strap by a line of stitching.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of the carrier device, when laid out flat, from one side; and

FIG. 2 is a corresponding view of the carrier device, from the opposite side.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a carrier device which comprises three straps joined together, namely a main or carrying strap 10 which, in use, extends lengthwise of the pair of skis, and two auxiliary or tying straps 20, 30 which are joined to the ends of the main strap 10 and which, in use, are fastened around the skis, one forwardly of the ski binding and the other rearwardly of the ski binding: the main strap 10 can then be gripped for picking the skis up and carrying them. If desired, ski poles may be laid on or alongside the skis, preferably with the loops on their handles placed over the ends of the skis, before the auxiliary straps 20, 30 are wrapped around the skis and poles to bundle these together.

In more detail, it will be noted that each of the auxiliary straps 20, 30 is joined to its end of the main strap 10 so as to extend at right angles to the latter, with a short or minor portion 21, 31 at one end of the respective auxiliary strap projecting from one edge of the main strap 10 and the remainder or major portion 22, 32 of the auxiliary strap projecting from the other edge of the main strap: it will also be noted that both auxiliary straps 20, 30 are disposed flat against the same side of the main strap 10 but their major portions 22, 32 project from opposite edges of the latter. Each auxiliary strap 20, 30 is joined to the main strap 10 by two lines of stitches e.g. 23, 24 for strap 20, these two lines of stitches extending at 450 to the length of the main strap 10 and converging to a point at the respective end of the main strap. This arrangement enables both the short or minor portion e.g. 21 and the major portion e.g. 22 of each strap to be folded over flat against the main strap 10, as will be explained in more detail below.

The main strap 10 is formed with a number of transverse fold lines 12, 13, 14, 15, for example by respective lines of stitching. In the example shown, the main strap 10 is 40 mm wide and overall 480 mm long: the fold lines 12, 13 are 112 mm from the opposite ends of the strap, and the fold lines 14, 15 are 226 mm from the opposite ends of the strap: the fold lines 14, 15 are therefore spaced 28 mm apart. Complementary, or male and female, pieces of hook-and-pile (Velcro) fastener 16, 17 are attached to one face of the main strap 10, being the face opposite that to which the auxiliary straps 20, 30 are stitched, adjacent but outwardly of the fold lines 12, 13.

Also in the example shown, each of the auxiliary straps is 20 mm wide and 495 mm long. The short or minor portion e.g. 21 of the strap projects by 25 mm from the respective edge of the main strap 10, so that the remainder or major portion e.g. 22 of the auxiliary strap projects 430 mm from the opposite edge of the main strap 10. Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings, one face of each auxiliary strap, being the face joined to the main strap 10, has male pieces of hook-and-pile (Velcro) fastener stitched to it, as follows: a first piece 25 extending the length of the short or minor portion 21, a second piece 26 extending along the major portion 22 for 85 mm from the respective edge of the main strap, and a third piece 27 extending for a further 110 mm along the same portion, after a 5 mm gap. Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the opposite face of each auxiliary strap has female pieces of hook-and-pile (Velcro) fastener stitched to it, as follows: a first piece 28 extending for 100 mm from the outer or free end of the strap, and a second piece 29 extending for a further 220 mm, after a 5 mm gap.

In use of the device for carrying a pair of skis, and optionally a pair of ski poles, the device is laid out flat as shown with the main strap 10 extending lengthwise of the skis: the auxiliary straps 20, 30 are then wrapped in opposite senses around the skis and ski poles over the minor portions 21, 31. One auxiliary strap 20 is wrapped forwardly of the ski bindings and the other rearwardly of the ski bindings; the male and female pieces of hook-and-pile fasteners on the opposite sides of each strap 20, 30 are engaged together to secure the straps around the skis and ski poles. The bundle thus tied can be carried easily by gripping the main strap 10.

When the user reaches the ski slope and wishes to use the skis, the auxiliary straps 20, 30 can be undone quickly and easily to free the skis and ski poles. The carrier device can then be folded compactly, as follows: firstly, the minor portion e.g. 21 of one auxiliary strap e.g. 20 is folded over onto one face of the main strap 10, as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 1, then the major portion 22 of the same auxiliary strap is folded over onto the same face of the main strap, as indicated by arrow B; the same procedure is then followed for auxiliary strap 30. It will be appreciated that the arrangement of the 45° lines of stitching by which each of the auxiliary straps is joined to the main strap ensures that, as the respective portions of the auxiliary straps are folded about those fold lines, they are brought into positions in which they extend lengthwise of the main strap 10 and face-to-face therewith. Further, the free ends of the auxiliary straps 20, 30 terminate short of the remote ends of the main strap 10. Next, the elongate assembly thus formed is folded along lines corresponding to the fold lines 12, 13, 14, 15 of the main strap, and the pieces 16, 17 of hook-and-pile fastener on the main strap 10 engaged to secure the assembly in this condition. It will be noted that the gaps provided between the pieces e.g. 26, 27 and 28, 29 of hook-and-pile fastener on each of the auxiliary straps correspond with the lines of fold 12, 13 of the main strap, to facilitate the folding of the auxiliary straps together with the main strap, once the auxiliary straps have been folded onto the main strap.

In its folded-up condition, the device forms a compact unit which is elongate and relatively flat in form, enabling it to be slipped into a convenient pocket, such as the elongate pocket commonly found on the sleeves of ski suits. It will be appreciated that the device is easy to apply to a set of skis and easy to undo, as it relies on hook-and-pile fasteners rather than buckles etc., such that it can be applied and undone whilst wearing gloves. The device folds easily into a compact unit which can be put comfortably and safely into a pocket for storage whilst skiing. The device is moreover 20 of simple and inexpensive construction. 

1-9. (canceled)
 10. A carrier device, comprising a main strap and two auxiliary straps joined, respectively, to opposite ends of said main strap and extending at right angles therefrom, said two auxiliary straps being arranged for wrapping around a pair of elongate articles for fastening the pair of elongate articles together, each auxiliary strap of said two auxiliary straps having at least one portion joined to said main strap along an inclined line that is foldable for lying against said main strap and extending lengthwise thereof for forming an assembly capable of storage.
 11. The carrier device according to claim 10, wherein said main strap is formed with at least one transverse fold lines, spaced apart along its length.
 12. The carrier device according to claim 10, wherein said main strap includes fastening means for securing the assembly in a folded condition.
 13. The carrier device according to claim 12, wherein said fastening means for said main strap comprises hook-and-pile fasteners.
 14. The carrier device according to claim 10, wherein each said auxiliary strap includes means for fastening said auxiliary strap around the pair of elongate articles.
 15. The carrier device according to claim 14, wherein said means for fastening said auxiliary strap includes hook-and-pile fasteners.
 16. The carrier device according to claim 10, wherein each said auxiliary strap is joined to said main strap so that a first portion of said auxiliary strap projects from one longitudinal edge of said main strap and a second portion of said auxiliary strap projects from an edge of said main strap that is an opposite edge from the one longitudinal edge, said second portion of said auxiliary strap being larger than said first portion of said auxiliary strap.
 17. The carrier device according to claim 16, wherein each said first portion of each said auxiliary strap is joined to said main strap along an inclined line permitting each said auxiliary strap to be folded over for lying against said main strap and extending longitudinally thereof.
 18. The carrier device according to claim 10, wherein a portion of each said auxiliary strap is joined to said main strap via a line of stitching. 